Fig lotion is topical moisturizer for the skin which includes the oils of fig leaves or part of the fruit in its ingredients. Leaves of the fig are typically used for their fragrance, which is said to be woody and fresh, while the fruit of the fig has many beneficial properties when applied to the skin. Fig lotion is available through cosmetic companies or it can be homemade.
The essential oils and fragrance of the fig are not very common. Typically, fig essential oil is expensive and depending on the geographic area, fresh figs may be uncommon. In many parts of the United States, a grocery store or supermarket will not carry figs, even seasonally. Cosmetics manufacturers typically do not use fig in the majority of their formulas, so fig lotion is not as common as some other lotions such as vanilla, cocoa butter, or aloe vera.
To extract the oils from fig leaves, they are crushed and the juice is collected. The result is a dark green or greenish-brown liquid. This is used in perfumers or bottled and sold as an essential oil.
The fig fruit itself can be used in a variety of ways. It is said to slow skin aging, eliminate chronic acne, and promote even skin tone. In its natural state, with the meat and seeds of the fruit scooped out of the fig's skin, fig can be applied to any part of the body as a mask or used as a body scrub.
Fig lotion can include the essential fig leaf oils or the fig itself in its formula. Many store bought versions only contain fig oil or an artificial fig fragrance. Use of the actual fruit is not common in store bought brands.
Lotion made with real figs is usually homemade. Many fruit based lotions are created using the same method, which begins with a moisturizer base and adds essential oils or mashed raw or cooked fruit. To make a very smooth lotion, fruit can be heated and condensed to a syrup. Either way, the seeds are removed so that the lotion will be as smooth as possible and so that all ingredients will soak into the skin.
Typically formulas are quite simple and use one or more natural moisturizers, like glycerin, beeswax, or olive oil. After the fig has been crushed, pureed, or heated to an appropriately smooth texture, it is added to the formula in a small amount. Unless a chemical preservative is added, the lotion must be chilled. Even so, the fig lotion may begin to decompose within one to two weeks.